Agricultural Revolution and Mesopotamia

This set of flashcards covers key concepts and facts about the Agricultural Revolution and the emergence of civilization in Mesopotamia.

What initiated the Agricultural Revolution around 12,000 BC?

People in the Fertile Crescent began planting seeds deliberately to produce more food.

What is considered the first full-blown civilization that developed due to the Agricultural Revolution?

Sumer, located in southern Mesopotamia.

What key process allowed Sumerian technologies and structures to spread to neighboring regions?

Diffusion.

What are the six attributes of civilization?

Agriculture, Government, Cities, Hierarchical Class Structure, Specialists, Writing, Complex Religion.

How did people live before agriculture?

They were hunters and gatherers, traveling seasonally from food source to food source.

What is one advantage of hunting and gathering compared to early agriculture?

Hunters and gatherers had relatively more leisure time and did not work as hard.

What material change did the Agricultural Revolution bring?

It provided a more secure food supply and allowed for food surpluses.

What led to the shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture?

The increase in population and the need for a more stable food supply.

What is domestication in the context of agriculture?

A process of artificial selection where people cultivate plants and animals with desirable traits.

What is the significance of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers for Mesopotamia?

They provided vital water resources for irrigation.

What type of government emerged in Sumer due to the rising population?

Governments known as hydraulic despotisms, controlling irrigation systems.

What characterized the Sumerian government structure of sacral kingship?

The king represented divine authority but was not considered divine himself.

How did Sumerian cities differ from Neolithic towns?

Cities were larger, more complex, and specialized due to agricultural surpluses.

What were the six basic types of machines identified in Sumerian technology?

Ramp, wedge, wheel, pulley, screw, and lever.

What innovation allows Sumerians to construct large building structures?

The development of the arch and the dome.

What metal did Sumerian metallurgists discover to improve tool making?

Bronze, an alloy of tin and copper.

How did Sumerian mathematics influence later cultures?

Sumerians developed a base 60 numbering system used in clocks and geometry.

What was cuneiform?

The writing system developed by the Sumerians using wedge-shaped symbols.

What epic poem illustrates Sumerian culture and beliefs about life and death?

The Epic of Gilgamesh.

What was significant about Hammurabi's Code?

It was one of the first legal codes and included the principle of Lex Talionis.

What does Lex Talionis mean?

The principle of 'an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth' in law.

How did Sumerian society view women, according to Hammurabi’s Code?

Women had significantly fewer rights and were often subordinate to men.

What was the religious belief system of the Sumerians?

They were polytheistic, worshiping various gods with a view of the world being capricious.

What concept did Sumerians have about the afterlife?

They believed that after death, humans lived in a joyless underground existence.

What was the social hierarchy in Sumer like?

It included a noble elite, a class of free people, and a large population of slaves.

How did agricultural surplus affect population growth in Mesopotamia?

It allowed for larger families and a higher birth rate due to reduced famine risks.

What architectural advancements were made by Sumerians due to their agricultural society?

Construction of monumental structures like ziggurats.

What role did specialists play in Sumerian civilization?

They focused on specific goods or services, driving innovation and technological progress.

How did Sumerians manage the water supply for agriculture?

Using irrigation systems built and maintained by organized labor.

What crops were important in the domestication process in Mesopotamia?

Emmer wheat, peas, chickpeas, olives, and barley.

What were the main characteristics of Sumerian cities?

They served as fortifications, markets, centers of worship, and government hubs.

Why is the agricultural revolution termed the single greatest change for humanity?

It fundamentally altered material conditions and social structures.

How did writing contribute to Sumerian society?

It enabled record-keeping, literature, and the transmission of knowledge.

In what way did the Sumerians influence future civilizations?

Through diffusion of their ideas, technologies, and agricultural practices.